Grateful thoughts

Every year when I wake up on September 11th and no planes are hitting skyscrapers, I am grateful. That is among the least of the things I have to be grateful for today, but every year it’s a good place to start. Second on my list is Kamala Harris’ strong performance in last night’s debate. The next eight weeks will be long and tense, but I am hopeful. And third is the opportunity to make fresh tomato sauce from organic tomatoes and garden basil. Since we’re empty nesters again, I’ll be filling more pint jars than quarts.

Empty nesting is an opportunity and a challenge. We have commenced Swedish death cleaning (It’s astounding how much one accumulates!) but are looking forward to lots more life in this house, where we have lived for 44 years. I’m hoping for cooking and gardening, dinners and parties (cocktail-, house-…) and sharing with both many old friends and always new ones. When our house was built more than a century ago, clearly it was intended for entertaining – the porches, the windows, the maid’s room… and now with our new kitchen it’s a joy to cook for guests. Again, I am grateful.

Yesterday we said goodbye to the ugly-but-fun pool that Jo has maintained for Loi’s enjoyment over many years. I”m not sure how long it will be until something grows there, but as Jo says, the pool had a good run. I feel the same about many of our plantings. Over time, I’ve lost the style thread and, too often, the gardening-conditions thread too. Yesterday I realized that I have WAY more wild ginger than makes sense. This year instead of planting I want to focus on soil-building.

I’m hoping to write here more regularly, and I invite your comments.